We came here for a family weekend over Labor Day and had such a wonderful time! I didn't know what…read moreto expect, but the experience exceeded my expectations. There were so many activities to choose from--big swing, pontoon boat ride, sailing, kayaking, the giant lake slide, tie-dye, archery, axe throwing, rifle and BB shooting, climbing, candle making, and more. Most of the counselors were fantastic--great with kids and clearly passionate about what they do. The cabins are very basic, so be sure to bring your own chairs, sheets, and pillows, but the temperature controls made it comfortable. The meals had a nice variety and were surprisingly good for camp food. The last night's campfire, complete with a talent show and s'mores, was such a special way to end the weekend. While not all families were particularly social, the ones we connected with were great. Overall, we had a wonderful time and would definitely come back again!

Interesting location for a blood drive. So can't really assess the "camp" itself. With that said,…read morebeautiful location in the wilds of Sussex County, NJ, gorgeous lake, large meeting room with fireplace. very relaxing environment to donate blood.

This is the most fun I have ever had camping with my kids. There are so many activities you can…read morehardly get to all of them. The staff is so friendly, the cabins are rustic but comfortable enough. The food is camp food. Bleh. But it is all part of the experience. We are on our fifth year here and can not wait for a sixth.

Our family's experience at YMCA Camp Mason was extremely disappointing…read more Our son enrolled in the month-long Counselor-in-Training (CIT) program after looking forward to it for several months. Less than 24 hours after arriving, he asked us to pick him up because he no longer felt safe remaining at camp. His decision was based on the combination of several experiences during his first day and night, including conversations about firearms among campers assigned to his cabin, a public display of intimate behavior in a common area without apparent staff intervention, inadequate bathroom and shower privacy, apparent inconsistencies with the camp's medication procedures, repeated nighttime disturbances, and what were periods without appropriate adult supervision. The following morning, we met with camp leadership and decided to withdraw him after only one night. What disappointed us most was what happened afterward. We submitted a detailed formal complaint, but Camp Mason's written response did not meaningfully address the concerns we raised regarding supervision, facilities, medication procedures, or the overall circumstances that led our son to feel unsafe. The camp also declined to reconsider its decision regarding our refund request. Every family will have its own experience, but ours fell far short of what we expected from a YMCA overnight camp.

I have two sons, currently 4 1/2 and 3 years old. I love them with all my heart and I only want…read morethe best for them. I truly believe that sending them to Camp Auxilium was one of the best decisions I have made for them. My 4 1/2 is already reading. Even my 3 year old reads a bit too. My oldest will be extremely prepared academically and socially for Kindergarten. I love the fact that the my sons' teachers always keep me informed of the activities and assessments of my kids. They have been going there since they were 2 1/2 years old. It is also very nice that the school have activities that include/invite the parents so I can witness my sons at their element/as they are learning. I am always at ease and know my kids are not only learning so much but are also in a safe fun and loved environment. My sons are always very happy and excited to go to school. I also love the location the school is in. The school is surrounded by nature and the grounds are just wonderful. They have swimming pools, big grounds to play in, the classrooms and the restrooms are tailored for their growing bodies. When I was searching for preschools, I saw a preschool that was just a building and an outside yard. As for my sons attitudes and behavior, they are compassionate, kind and respectful. My sons spend 5 days a week at Camp Auxilium and I believe school and their environment play a big part in forming my sons traits. I know this is a whole lot of gushing but that's because I really love Camp Auxilium and what they have done for my sons. My oldest will be going to Kindergarten this fall. I am very sad that he will be leaving this wonderful school. But if I can spread the word about this great school I'll do my best. Children are the future and I definitely want to have as much educated, kind, compassionate kids out there for my sons to interact with.

From the owner: Celebrating over 55 years serving the needs of famlies in Sussex County and the surrounding areas…read more Camp Auxilium is conducted by the Salesian Sisters of St. John Bosco. Camp Auxilium and the Salesian Sisters continue their mission to serve local youth thru the summer camp. They are assisted by Red-Cross certified lifeguards, counselors and activity specialists, offering varied land and water activities to all the campers. Located in beautiful, rural Sussex County, New Jersey, Camp Auxilium provides opportunities for fun and discovery where campers learn and grow to become the best persons they can be! Encouraged to participate in new activities through a varied activity schedule and calendar of events; each day includes a refreshing swim, meals, and engaging recreational and patriotic activities. Splash into summer at Camp Auxilium and create memories that will last a lifetime!

We came here to see Resica Falls. It has friendly short trail to the falls. Few yards down from…read morethe parking lot and a good view is visible. Quiet and peaceful place. Nobody was there when we went. There are picnic tables available if interested to bring food. My friend said that would be a good idea for future visit. The park is free and open to public. No one is allowed in the Boy Scout camping lodge area unless you are part of a troop and has an event to attend to. A nice stop over if in the area

My wife and I were in Bushkill falls staying at my best friend's place. We were planning our…read moreadventure for the next day and this is one of the places that we decided to go to. This is just 20 minutes away from where my best friend lives. The place is open to the public and there is free parking. After we parked, we noticed that Resica falls is just a short distance from the parking area, I noticed a few picnic tables on the area where you can see the falls, they have installed a fence close to the water, at first I thought it is to prevent people from slipping and falling into the water but we saw a signage/warning that says "NO ONE IS PERMITTED BEYOND THE RAILING & CABLES, KNOWN VENOMOUS SNAKE HABITAT BEYOND THIS POINT". Oh Gosh!!!. Ever since reading the warning I never ventured around tall grasses in the area and I was always looking down, taking precautions for the possibility of snakes around. Luckily we never encountered any. It was a satisfactory visit to the falls with my friends, we just enjoyed taking photos of our outing.

My experience with Trail Blazers as a parent is beyond words. I can say that Trail Blazers has…read morecontributed to the excellent young woman my daughter has blossomed into. My daughter is now twenty years old and has moved from the role of a camper to a full blown counselor. My son is twelve years old, loves the camp as well and has been going for the past 4 years. My children attend winter, spring and summer sleep away camp with Trail Blazers! Trail Blazers camp inspires children to become team-players, builds character, confidences, life long friendships and ultimately prepares children for leadership roles! I would recommend this camp to every parent looking for safe and functional environment for their child.

From the owner: We provide outdoor adventures during all seasons and for all ages. As the oldest program of its…read morekind in the US, we offer exciting programming for school, organizations and individualism alike.

I've been here twice for winter retreats. In the winter with nothing much to do outside, this is…read morequite a beautiful place. We've stayed in both of the main cabins and they are fairly modern and large. Food can be hit or miss sometimes (on my first visit here, all the chicken dinners were under-cooked).

It is a beautiful campsite with a high tech chapel, wonderful lakeside access, bonfire areas, a…read moregym, pools, a play area, and lots of cabins for the few hours of sleep you will get. Some of the facilities could use to be updated, but overall it is a great place for a retreat and to reconnect with God in the wilderness.

Camp Speers is nothing short of a nightmare. The first thing that happened to me when I got there…read morewas being told that I would be in a different cabin than my friends. This was a total surprise to me because I requested all of them and they requested me. After having to call my parents so they could beg the head leaders if I could switch they let me. Thank the lord that they even allowed that because if they didn't I probably would have run away. When I got into my cabin, I was greeted to ants in my bed and promised that I would get a cot. This cot ended up not getting delivered and I had to sleep on the floor for the whole week. After the ants spread through all of the yoga mat beds, did they actually do something. That something was them spraying a powder that did nothing to the ants. The ants came back the next day. When it was finally time to eat, I was expecting the food to be bad, but not inedible. We were served green French fries and half frozen chicken fingers. The option that me and my friends took were the salad bar. We ended up eating little protein that week which eventually leaded to fatigue and lightheartedness because most of our diet consisted of salad and pasta. When my friend finally had enough of the camp and was getting homesick, he only had one simple request. This request was to have a supervised phone call to his mom. After hours of crying, he finally gave up, with the compromise that the head woman would call his parents. We all suspected that she would leave all of the fact that he was lightheaded from not eating and the fact that there were ants in our cabin. This was confirmed when we asked his mother what the head leader said and she said he was crying about homesickness and did not mention anything else. The last thing I want to mention is the cleanliness of the camp. I left camp speers with a very severe case of impetigo that could only finally be treated when I went to a dermatologist. This was caused by the lifejackets, as the spots were exactly where the lifejacket rested on me. The least they could do is spray them with a hose every night. Instead they let them sit in a garage letting infection grow on them. No child should have to go through a camp like camp speers. This is based on opinion and your child might have fun but in my opinion the only good thing about the camp was the friends met along the way like Philip.

Great place for kids, the staff is very helpful. Been coming for the last 3 year and we love.read more

Our kid attended Girl Scouts sleepaway camp here three times in three years and had an amazing…read moreexperience throughout. The stories of community and character, as well as the friendships forged and outdoor activities, made it worthwhile for our family. The counselors were engaging and involved, making sure that everyone had the best possible experience. Can't recommend it enough!

Great hiking there as usual. Took short hikes up to the Appalachian Trail…read more Saw some trail magic, so added to it for through hikers.

SHOTWELL -- I camped at a lean-to at Showell camp grounds. The shelter was great, had plenty of…read morespace for my queen sized bed and my double seater folding chair. I used my small portable generator for power/lights. Wood purchased at the ranger station seemed to burn better than any wood I found around the campsite so I used purchased wood to start camp fires then used wood found around camp. What I didn't like was the shower facilities are at another camp entirely, Lake Ocquittunk, and that kind of sucked especially when I went looking for it at night. It's about 6 miles away but it gave me the opportunity to pull off at the gas station for some snacks, still it's location is super inconvenient. This place is great for winter camping and although the shelters are relatively close to each other, it's so cold that nobody is out bothering anyone. I plan on visiting this place in the summer to see how the tent sites are but I'll bring a portable toilet since the bath rooms are relatively far from the better more private camp sites.